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For the first time, the UN has released a list of over 100 companies involved in the violation of Palestinian rights and illegal occupation of the West Bank.
The New York Times, notes that the UNHRC has never requested a list of corporations which will face public scrutiny.
The list is predominate of Israeli organisations but also include international companies such as Expedia, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Airbnb, and Opodo. These travel and vacation companies offer rental opportunities in the occupied West Bank.
The list also includes companies involved in the construction of settlement and destruction of Palestinian homes; banking and finance services as well as security equipment and services.
Riad Malki, Palestinian Foreign Minister, promoted the publication of this list as;
“[A] victory for international law and for the diplomatic effort to dry up the sources of the colonial system represented by illegal settlement in the occupied Palestinian territory.”
Israel Katz, Israel’s foreign minister, has criticised the publication of this list as a “shameful surrender” to nations and organisations hostile to Israel, such as the BDS movement (Boycott, Divest, Sanction).
In November 2019, Israel ordered the deportation of Human Rights Watch (HRW) official Omar Shakir, a US citizen, for allegedly supporting BDS. Israel had outlawed the supported of BDS and blocked entry for those who have supported the movement since they passed a bill in 2017.
Read more on: Israel’s court backs deportation of HRW official
Bruno Stagno, Human Rights Watch's deputy advocacy chief, supported the move by stating; “to do business with illegal settlements is to aid in the commission of war crimes”.
A full list of the companies is accessible here.
Read more from the New York Times here and from Reuters here.
